Materials for electronic components, in particular lead frames of the mentioned type, must have a combination of particular characteristics:
(a) the electric and thermal conductivity should be as high as possible (higher than 50% IACS); PA0 (b) a high mechanical strength is required; PA0 (c) moreover, a high resistance to softening is required.
A measure for the softening resistance is the so called semihardness temperature T.sub.H, which is obtained from a softening curve (Vickers hardness HV as a function of the annealing temperature T). The semihardness temperature T.sub.H is thereby associated with the value ##EQU1## (d) increasingly homogeneous materials are required, that is, materials in which the structure does not contain any coarse grams, separations or inclusions, so that a satisfactory connection between the so called bond wires and the lead frame is assured.
Iron-nickel-alloys or copper-iron-alloys, for example, CuFe2P (Alloy No. C 19400) or CuFeSnP (Alloy No. C 19520), among others have been used thus far to a great degree for the mentioned use. However, the electrical conductivity and, because of the relatively high amounts of alloy components, the homogeneity of the materials, leaves much to be desired.
For the connecting parts in electronic components for automobiles, a material having an electrical conductivity which is as high as possible with a simultaneously high strength characteristic and thus sufficient mechanical stability is demanded because of the high current load.
The basic purpose of the invention is to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages and to provide a material for electronic components, in particular lead frames for transistors, integrated circuits or the like, and parts for electronic components for automobiles having particularly favorable characteristics.